Southbury Garden Club's Ballantine Park Pool Houses Project Receives Honor

The Southbury Garden Club’s Ballantine Park Pool House Project has earned the Federated Garden Clubs of CT’s highest civic award in the mid-size club category, said Ed Edelson, who is Southbury’s first selectman via Facebook.

The prize is a travelling silver tray and certificate which the club can display for one year.

The ambitious project began when the Town of Southbury’s Parks and Recreation Department asked the Southbury Garden Club Civic Committee for their help and expertise to beautify the area around the newly renovated Pool House in Ballantine Park. The town was seeking landscape/hardscape solutions along the front and side areas of the building.

The club proposed adding a walkway of approximately 376 square feet of pavers along the front, providing easy access from the parking lot and an entrance to the new picnic area. They also suggested installing a 95’ X 3’ perennial garden, running parallel to the walkway. The club also donated two large ceramic planters and two wrought iron/wood benches for the front of the building.

Members approved this ambitious two-plus-year civic development project and club members participated according to individual abilities. Members, including a 93 year old lady, took part in the planting, mulching, watering, etc. They also donated plants from their gardens, and one member generously contributed the dedication sign.

Liaising closely with the Parks & Recreation Department, the Civic Committee gathered price estimates, obtaining free services or discounts in many cases. They also defined responsibilities and developed a timeline. The Civic Committee worked with town officials and a local business, Southbury Stone and Supply, which provided materials at cost. Landscape Designer Rebecca Wanag, owner of Minglewood Tree, donated her consultation fee for the project.

Boy Scout Troop 152 built and painted picnic tables for the grassy area.

The Department of Public Works removed existing layers of mulch, gravel and a 12” layer of poor quality topsoil, which they dumped off-site and replaced with tilled, quality top soil. They installed two pre-approved stone walkways on both sides of the pool house entrance. They planted grass seed in the picnic area and dug holes for large shrubs. Southbury Stone and Supply delivered 3,765 square feet of pavers, bedding, sand and other materials needed for installation.

In addition to funding the materials for the hardscape, the club delivered and planted perennials, allowing space for plants to spread. They also added annuals to fill in spaces while the garden matures. During the preliminary stages, the club fertilized, watered and mulched the newly planted beds with mulch provided by the town, and watered and weeded the gardens and planters.

These responsibilities were assumed by the Town of Southbury Parks & Recreation Department at the dedication ceremony marking the project’s completion. A Southbury Garden Club sign, recognizing the role of the SGC, was placed in the garden. The club agreed to consult on specific garden questions as needed.

Funding for this significant civic project came from the SGC’s savings account, annual spring plant sale, note card sales, raffles, guest fees and Ways & Means sales.

The Southbury Garden Club is a non-profit organization and undertakes many civic projects which benefit the Town of Southbury and its residents. More information is available at www.southburygardenclub.org.

Photos via Facebook